Mold flask and jacket



March 10, 19426 J MUELLER 2,275,826

MOLD FLASK A-ND JACKET Filed May 16 1940 -2 Sheets-Shed; l

v INVENTOR. B41 PH J. (fl/1157? ATrmEA/Ers March 10, 1942- R. J. MUELLER MOLD FLASK AND JACKET Filed May 16, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. I EA! PH IMUEZZfIP W1? TM A rroi lwsrs Patented Mar. 10, 1942 UNITED STATES FFICE MOLD FLASK AND JACKET Application May 16, 1940, Serial No. 335,574

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in molding apparatus, and more particularly to mold flasks and jackets.

The use of mold jackets and mold flasks is well known to the industry. At the present time, mold jackets, for example, are used to hold the mold from accidental deformation, that is, to keep the mold from falling apart; when the metal is being poured into it. These jackets were usually made of wood or metal and constituted a generally rectangular frame having substantially flat but tapering sides. Heretofore, considerable efiort has been directed to so designing these articles to increase the useful life and to also make them effective to produce a greater percentage of sound castings. Among the previous designs attention has been directed to designs that were supposed to allow a more free escape for the gases from the molten metal through the sand. In some instances the sides of the jackets were provided with a few widely spaced openings which usually had a dual purpose; one, to shave the high spots on the mold When the jacket Was applied; and, two, to allow gases from the casting to escape through the sand and through the jacket sides.

Still another expedient used to assist the gas to escape was to provide grooves in the inner surface of the jacket wall. These jackets, however, left much to be. desired from the standpoint of emciency. Although these prior devices might be said to he improvements on imper-forate sides, they still were somewhat lacking in their effectiveness from the standpoint of allowing the gases to escape freely.

It is, therefore, one of the objects of my in vention to provide a mold flask or jacket so constructed that the gases meet with a minimum of resistance in their escape from the mold.

Another object of my invention resides in an improved mold jacket and flask construction Where there are substantially no obstructions to hinder the escape of gas laterally from the mold, and where the surface area for the escape of the gas is substantially unbroken over the entire mold surface.

Another object of my invention is to provide a mold flask or jacket which affords a large mold supporting area for the sides of the mold which comprises a multitude of supports evenly and equally distributed throughout the mold surface.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mold jacket which, when placed on the mold thus cause a shifting of the sand or otherwise affect the mold cavity.

Another object of my invention is to provide a mold jacket which provides a better fit with the mold and which automatically removes any high spots during assembly, thus assuming a better support for the mold.

Another object of my invention is to provide warp is reduced and which, if it should warp,

can be easily straightened.

Another object of my invention is to provide a mold flask or jacket which is more economical and easier to manufacture.

Another object of my invention is to provide a mold flask which is strong and rugged in construction and not liable tobreakage from rough use.

Still other objects of my invention including those of economies of manufacture and construchas no tendency to disturb the mold per s and tion, and the invention itself, will become more apparent from the following description of an embodiment thereof, which description isillustrated by the accompanying drawings and forms a part of this specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a mold jacket embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the corner construction;

Fig. 4 is a full sized view of a fragment of the mesh used to form the sides of the jacket;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a flask embodying my invention;

Fig. 6 is a section taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a section taken along the line 7-! of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan view of the corner of the flask; and,

Fig. 9 is an enlarged elevational view depicting a piece of the expanded metal such as is employed in my invention.

Throughout the figures of the drawings, like parts have been designated by like reference characters. In Fig. 1 there is illustrated a mold jacket which includes a skeleton frame formed of upper and lower rectangular frames I held in spaced parallel relation to each other by corner pieces 3. Each frame is fabricated from T-shaped cross section angle iron, and they are held in spaced relation by the corner pieces which are best shown in Fig. 3. The lower frame forms a slightly larger rectangle than the upper frame to provide the desired degree of taper. The corner pieces 3 may comprise solid triangular members, or be flat members extending across the corner to eliminate sharp angles in the corner. The parts of the frame and the corner pieces may be held together by welding, brazing or the like. Other types of corner pieces may be substituted for that shown and described and it is not desired to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed.

In assembling the upper and lower frames T-section angle iron is used which preferably has one arm of the T shorter than the other (Fig. 2), the short arm being toward the inside of the jacket and the flat part forming the top edge of the jacket.

After the frame is fabricated the sides are placed in position and secured to the frames. These sides may be constructed of pieces of closely woven heavy wire mesh 5. The actual size of one type of mesh which has been found to give satisfactory results is illustrated in Fig. 4. The

wire mesh, after being placed in position, is welded to the top and bottom frames, and the corners welded to each other. The space 4 in the corner may be filled in when a fiat piece 3 is use d.

Handles 6 are secured to the mesh at opposite ends of the jacket or they may be secured adjacent the top by welding directly to the top frame.

The wire mesh comprises interwoven vertical and horizontally extending wires constituting a basket weave which provides alternate high and low portions 1 and 8 with openings 9 therebetween. The high spots I provide a plurality of evenly spaced supporting points which extend over the entire surface of the jacket for contact with the sand of the mold.

The mesh itself is relatively stiff and when coupled with the corner braces, provides a jacket which is light, rigid, and not subject to breakage from rough use. The distribution of the openings which permit the escape of gases is highly important and with construction such as shown, there are no areas in the jacket through which the gas cannot escape freely, other than the corners. mesh also tend to remove any high spots from the sand, shearing them off when the jacket is applied rather than crushing them in. The even distribution of the high points on the mesh across the surface of the mesh provides an even contact for the sides with the molds and thus affords a greater support. Inasmuch as the material of the mesh slopes away from each of the high points the gases are free to escape around each of the high points through the opening 9. It will thus be seen that although the supporting areas are each small, they are evenly and closely placed over the entire surface. It will also be seen that the same comments apply to openings for the escape of the gases. Although they are small, they are closely and evenly spaced. The result is a firm solid support The high spots on the for the mold and an unrestricted escape for the gases.

Although I have disclosed the mesh as havin the weave extending parallel with the top and bottom of the frame it is quite within the purview to have the mesh out on the bias so that the weave extends angularly between the frames.

Referring to Figs. 5 to 9 inclusive, there has been illustrated what is known as a tight flask. As is well known, the mold is formed in the flask and the flask not removed from the mold until the mold has been poured and the metal has solidified. This practice is followed more particularly when large castings are being made. Each section of the flask in this instance is formed by providing a skeleton frame which comprises upper and lower rectangular members 20 and 2| held together in spaced parallel relation by brace members 22. The members 20 and 2| may be formed in various manners but one particular type of construction which has been found to be very effective comprises using substantially closed channel members as best shown in Fig. 6 of substantially C-shaped crosssection.

The material of the sides constitutes a heavy gauge expanded metal 23, the construction of which is well known. It is secured at the edges in the channel members 20 and 2|, extendin through'the opening 24 in the C and may bottom at 25. The metal may be secured therein by welding to the edges of the metal at the opening 24. The braces which connect the upper and lower frame members may be made of U-shaped stock 21 which may connect to the frame at the corners 22 and the sides, being welded or brazed at their ends to the frames and/or to each other. In the case of the cor ners the U-shaped members not only support these corners but provide a protector against sharp or jagged edges, as best illustrated in Fig. 8. Suitable trunnions 40 are provided, being welded to plates 4 which plates are secured to the upper and lower frames. Locking lugs 42 are also provided for aligning the two flasks.

The expanded metal provides a multiplicity of surfaces which not only support the sand against lateral displacement but also extend into the sand'holding it securely in place and preventing the same from shifting when the mold is being formed. This feature can best be understood by reference to Fig. 6 which shows a vertical section through one of the sides of the flask. It will be noted that the mesh provides a plurality of sharp surfaces 30 under which the sand may extend and which thus prevents the sand from shifting. In between the surfaces are the large unobstructed areas 3| through which the gases are free to escape.

The uses to which the jackets and flasks are put are too well known to those versed in the art to need discussion. Suffice it to say that with the construction shown and described the jackets and flasks are light in weight, making them easier to handle, and provide a better support for the entire lateral surfaces of the mold. Although the construction is such that a substantially large support is provided for the sand output of sound castings.

It will also be seen that the construction lends itself to economies in construction because it uses standard materials and that the devices are rugged and not liable to breakage as in cases where flasks and jackets having cast sides are used. It will further be seen that the materials used are not apt to warp through use as in the case of the prior art devices and that should they for any reason he warped due to dropping or misuse they may be readily straightened.

Having thus disclosed my invention in some embodiments thereof, I am aware that numerous and extreme departures from the construction shown can be made but without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Although I have shown a certain specific type of construction for the framework of the jackets and flasks, I do not desire to limit my invention to the specific type shown otherwise than is as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A mold jacket or flask comprising substantially rectangular frames, reinforcing corner pieces holding said frames in spaced parallel relation, substantially perpendicular side walls extending between said frames, each of said side walls comprising wire mesh affording a plurality of closely spaced sand engaging surfaces disposed in a common plane to provide a substantially continuous support for the sand, said walls having openings therein disposed in regimented equi-distant spaced relation to facilitate the escape of gases from the mold.

2. A mold jacket or flask comprising substantially rectangular frames, reinforcing corner pieces holding said frames in spaced parallel relation, substantially perpendicular side walls extending between said frames, each of said side walls comprising expanded metal having alternate high and low spots to provide a plurality of closely spaced sand engaging surfaces disposed in a common plane, the spaces between said high and low spots being open through the wall to cause gases escaping from the said sand to pass freely tothe exterior of the mold.

3. A mold jacket or flask having substantially rectangular frame members with corner braces retaining said members in spaced parallel relation, the combination of side and end panels interposed between said frame members, alternate high and low areas formed throughout each of said panels with the low areas being of greater proportion than the high areas, said high and low areas being disposed in equi-distant spaced relation, said high areas providing a substantially continuous and even support for the material within said jacket, said panels having interstices formed in said low areas to provide a substantially continuous and even outlet for the escape of gases from the material within the mold jacket.

RALPH J. MUELLER. 

